I love their relationship, though feeling a bit wary about what Gabe is going to do. This could be good. Don't forget to vote, comment, and share. Let me know your thoughts.
GABEI couldn’t stop smiling at the dinner table, thinking about Mila’s lips. Or the way her body pressed into mine while her hands slid up my back. My father, Alpha Troy, sat at the head of the table, his presence commanding and calm. My mom, Luna Emily, with her graceful demeanor, was on the other end, casting a critical eye over the cutlery’s placement. Tyler lounged lazily next to me, scrolling through his phone.The smell of roasted veggies and grilled meats filled the air as the door to the kitchen opened. I watched as Mila and the other servants moved around the table, setting down the dishes with ease. I’ve had a crush on Mila since the first time I saw her. She thought it was the day she started working here but actually the first day she came to the orphanage a year after she had lost her parents. Some boys were making fun of her one day and I guess she had enough. She picked up one of the boys and body slammed him into the ground. It was the coolest thing I’ve ever seen. So
MILAI always felt a bit out of place working the dinner shift at the packhouse. Not only did being near Gabe make me smile uncontrollably, but the weird way Tyler had been acting made me uncomfortable. Aside from the constant bullying at school, he watched me like a hawk at the packhouse, always finding ways to subtly touch my hand when I’m placing down plates or pouring his drink. Tonight was no different. As I walked into the dining room, I froze at the sound of my name, and the pitcher I was carrying slipped from my grasp, crashing to the floor. I had been trying not to listen from the kitchen, but these walls apparently aren’t wolf proof. Even the kitchen staff had thrown sympathetic glances my way before I came out. “I…I’m…sorry,” I stammered, my cheeks flushing with embarrassment. “I’ll clean it right away.”“Mila…” I heard Gabe’s concerned voice as he moved to help me, but Luna Emily stopped him.“No,” Luna Emily said coldly. “Let her do it alone. It’s her job, Gabriel.”Gabe
TYLERWhat the hell was I doing? I had just spent over an hour swimming, trying to drown out the thoughts of this girl, and here I was, touching her. Time wasted. I thought, but there was nothing I could do now–or at least nothing I wanted to do. Declan was happy for the closeness. In the back of my mind, I saw him pacing, eager for more, even as my mom’s warning echoed in my thoughts. Mila wasn’t worthy.“Like this?” Mila asked, pulling her wrists out of my grasp and creating distance between us. Declan didn’t like her repositioning, but I silently thanked her for it. It was hard to think when she was this close. I watched as she lightly closed her fists and brought it up to her face. I laughed at her weak form, but mostly at the fact she looked so determined and so…cute.“Not unless you’re trying to hit a weak child,” I said, closing the distance and enclosing my hand over hers. “Tighten it like this. Pretend like you’re trying to crush something hard.”“O…okay.” Her voice was shaky,
MILAMy breath caught in my throat, my heart racing at Tyler’s words. What the hell was happening? What did Tyler just say? His…his what? The Alpha of the pack was calling me his. Was this some kind of prank? I glanced towards the entrance, expecting Randall or Leo to walk in laughing. Maybe Ari put him up to this. This was crazy, and I needed to stop this before anything else weird happened. The brothers glared at each other, their grips tightening on my arms. The tension in the air was thick, charged with the weight over sibling rivalry as I looked between them. Tyler’s jaw was clenched, his eyes blazing with anger, while Gabe’s expression was one of steely determination.“Gabe,” I called out, trying to steady my voice. “Maybe…we should go.”“You heard her, Tyler,” Gabe said, his anger matching his brother. “She doesn’t want to be yours. So let her go.”Tyler laughed, his grip tightening on my arm. “Maybe she would want to stay if you weren’t hovering around her like some simp!”“I
ARIThe summer breeze was magnificent today. I wished my mood was the same.“Stop pouting. It makes you look old,” my stepmom mind-linked me as I sat up straighter in my chair.I cast a look at my stepmom’s disapproving face before she smiled at whatever my father was saying. We were on the Aliz’s property in one of their outside gardens. Above us were blooming petunias hanging from the trellis set over the table. White cloths were spread across the table with expensive-looking cutlery and plates. Everything looked perfect, even though it was just brunch, but I could already see my parents gushing at everything. I would never.“I hope the food is to your liking, Alpha Gregory,” Luna Emily said with a smile.“Oh, it’s wonderful. Though caviar isn’t something I indulge in often,” my father said, stuffing a heaping amount into his mouth.He was such a liar. He could eat a truck load if it meant he could brag about it, and usually he does. He always talked about the Aliz family as if they
ARIFor the next few weeks, I couldn’t stop thinking about Mila stealing Tyler’s attention. The only explanation was that she was his mate. Why else would he ditch me for her? And even if she was, why would he even accept her? She was nowhere near my status, and yet every time, it felt like he was choosing her over me. This was total bullshit, and I wasn’t going to be the second pick all summer. I was lounging by the pool with Amber, Julia, Randall, and Leo. Tyler went back inside to get something more refined for us to drink, but now I was thirsty for something else. So, I might as well make good use of the number one attention-taker.“Milan!” My voice cut through the laughter and chatter surrounding the pool. “Yes?” Mila’s voice was hesitant as she approached, her shadow falling over me.I looked up to see her standing nervously in front of me, blocking my sun. Her eyes kept darting towards the pool as I cleared my throat. It only took a moment for her to realize she was in my way.
GABEThe moment I came outside, I knew something was wrong. Ari was smiling, which was never good, and Tyler was using his Alpha command. My thoughts immediately went to Mila, and my heart nearly stopped when I saw it was her. Her hair was wet and disheveled, and she was coughing violently, as if she couldn’t breathe. Tyler was walking away from the pool, holding her steady as she clung to him. I put two and two together and realized she was in the pool. THE POOL!!!Ever since the boating accident with her parents, Mila has been deathly afraid of water. Even the smell of it freaked her out. It was something we were going to work on this summer but never got around to it. Dammit! I could hit myself for not doing it sooner. I wasn’t sure what happened to get her in the pool, but I knew it was Tyler’s fault somehow, and now he had the nerve to be holding her. A pang of jealousy shot through me, and I rushed behind them as they entered the house. I ran in front of Tyler to stop him as he
MILA - Senior Year“Hi, I’m the new and improved Mila Davis, and I’m the perfect candidate for the Aliz Women in Arts Scholarship because my designs are the future,” I said, looking in the mirror.Summer was long gone, and senior year was starting off great. My portfolio was complete, and my essay was edited so many times I’d lost count. Everyone seemed to be as stressed as I was with finishing the first quarter on top. Even the Mora girls were more focused on their studies than bullying, which was an extra bonus for me. Luckily, I finished everything over the summer. Since Gabe was gone for the whole month of August, I had ample time to design and make clothes. Nanna Gertie was a big help, allowing me to use her sewing room and materials. It was great to have someone to talk to and genuinely connect with. With the scholarship showcase deadline coming up right before winter break, I needed all that time to plan and beef up my portfolio. I figured this scholarship was a done deal, and
GABEThe scent of blood filled my nose as Spencer growled low, his presence pressing against my mind. We moved forward, eyes scanning the women’s torn attire, and the red streaks on the floor. Mila.She’s hurt. The realization hit hard, the pull to her undeniable. She must’ve seen it in my face because she shook her head slowly, her eyes a silent plea. I couldn’t move to her anyway as Arianna practically flung herself into my arms.“That beast attacked me,” she cried, her arms wrapped around my neck, face buried into my chest. Even as she did this, my eyes were on Mila. The need to comfort so strong, I felt myself pulling Arianna’s arms off of me. That didn’t stop her from clinging on as her hands gripped my arm. She continued. “She has to be banned from this pack immediately.”“Banned?” That word felt heavy in my mouth. “Really, Ari?” I looked at Arianna as if she was crazy and she almost took a step back. She recovered and a hateful look spread across her face when she looked at M
ARIThe gala was dead, my parents left with no word, Julia was found beaten in the women’s restroom, and Gabe was still a no-show. I called the packhouse and everyone kept saying he was in the office. So I decided to check myself. When I opened the door to his office, I was surprised to see so much had changed and Mila was standing near the desk. Of course it was her. That huge silhouette was unmistakable in the low light.“Oh,” she said, her lips curving into a smile that made my stomach churn. “Luna Arianna. Fancy seeing you here.”“Really?” I asked coolly, stepping fully into the room. “I would think out of the two of us, I would make more sense. What are you doing here?”She leaned against the desk with her arms crossed. “Not that it’s any of your business, but this is my office now. This is what happens when you’re a success, ya know.”This girl was starting to become a real headache. “You can’t be serious? Gabe wouldn’t just give you his office.”“More like he decorated it himse
MILAThe moment I kicked them out, I took a tour of my new office, feeling a sense of belonging. I won’t lie and say the personal touches were amazing, but the fact that Gabe was the one who did it made everything a bit complicated. What’s so complicated? He’s an asshole just like the rest of them. I thought, staring at the colored pencils on my desk and the treadmill tucked underneath it. Seriously, Camila must’ve had something to do with this. No one and I mean no one knew about the treadmill.I shook my head not wanting to delve into it deeper. I had to stay focused on the plan. The night was still young and there was still some damage I could do. I texted Camila to deliver the little gift I had for Luna Emily and Alpha Troy, while I tried to stir up some drama on the news. I pulled out my phone and called Laura.“Hey, I think it’s time to leak some information?”“Already ahead of you,” Laura answered happily. “Looks like our little hacker already did it. The news should be reporti
GABEI stepped away from the window in my old office after watching the flashing lights of the van taking Leo away. “Guess the party’s over.”I closed my laptop, taking a look at the redesign I did for Mila’s office. I tried to make it as personable as I could. Granted she had changed much, so hopefully I remembered enough to get her going.“We should tell her who she is to us,” Spencer urged.He’s been bugging me to tell ever since he found out. Wolves were so one-track minded. Let’s not worry about the fact that we were still mated to Arianna, right? None of this made sense.“Do you remember what she said to us the first time we saw her?” I reminded him. “I broke her heart, Spencer. I can’t just expect her to forgive us because there’s a possibility she’s our mate.”Even saying it sounded strange. I continued to decorate the room, carefully placing pictures of her older designs and textiles on the wall. Suddenly the door opened and Tyler rushed in like he was running from someone.
MILAJulia watched me with a confident look on her face, but I could smell the fear coming off her skin. She tried to laugh it off. “What is this? Some kind of fantasy of yours? A little girl on girl action?” I moved to block the door when I saw her eyeing it. “Not quite,” I smiled. “But it will be.”Before Julia could say another word, I lunged for her, grabbing her head and bringing it down into my knee. She stumbled back, holding her nose and looking at me with a shocked expression.“What the fuck!”“That’s for Jenna.”Julia distanced herself from me as I slowly approached. Surprisingly, she stood her ground when she noticed I wasn’t going to let her escape.Good girl. Julia grabbed her broken nose, and popped it back in place, her hand trembling as she wiped the blood from her lip.“Jenna? How is little ol’ Jenna doing?” she asked with a bloody grin. “Heard she lost a piece of herself. Maybe I should send her a ‘Get Well’ card.”I stalked forward, the edge of my vision blurring
MILA“Alpha Tyler! I’ve been trying to get your attention all night.” Mirabella practically squeezed between us, making a point to size me up, which I didn’t mind. I had to keep Tyler at a distance for Rayne’s horny sake.“As you can see, I’m a bit preoccupied,” Tyler began. “So…”“Yeah, I can tell,” Mirabella interrupted, her voice carrying the kind of sweetness that could make my teeth ache. “Someone’s been monopolizing all your time.”She shot a glance in my direction.“It’s not monopolizing when they’re here willingly,” I said, matching her fake sweetness. “But I can understand why that concept might be… unfamiliar to you.”Mirabella faked a laugh before grabbing onto Tyler’s arm. “Ty, would you give me a moment please? Girl talk and all. Maybe a few drinks?”Tyler looked at me as if he wanted confirmation. I didn’t want to waste my time with her but whatever. She was on my shit list anyway. I gave him a subtle nod and we both watched him disappear into the crowd before Mirabella
MILAOne thing I could say about the rich: they knew how to throw a party. If this was a typical night, I might have been content sipping champagne, nibbling on canapes, and pretending not to eavesdrop on the secretive whispers of the elites.But tonight wasn’t about enjoying myself. At least not in the normal way. I had too much to do and people to fuck with. The moment I saw Arianna and her entourage, I pushed the button in my purse and just waited.And waited.I started to excuse myself, but Tyler had other plans. He practically dragged me around the party introducing me to people in the industry, his charm on full display. Every conversation turned into some wild story about him that, without fail, ended with him in his boxers–or less.“I can’t help that fact that I have a natural affinity for being naked,” he laughed, drawing a few chuckles from the crowd. Then he leaned in close, his voice dropping to a whisper. “Want me to prove it?”I narrowed my eyes at him, fighting the smil
MILAI walked down the stairs at the orphanage, impressed by the progress of the construction team. This place was finally coming together, feeling like the sanctuary I remembered. All except for the garden on the roof. I made a mental note to hire a professional to breathe some life into it.“Well, hot damn,” Camila said the moment I walked into the living room. “You and red are made for each other.”Laura glanced up from her laptop, her eyebrows shooting up. “Whoa, Mila. That’s… different. In a good way,” she quickly added, as if I’d take it the wrong way.I smoothed the fabric of my gown, glancing down at the deep crimson silk. The dress hugged my curves, the high slit exposing just enough leg to make me feel… powerful, daring anyone to challenge me. “Well, I wanted to be sure to wear something in case it gets bloody tonight,” I smiled. “You don’t think I’ll stand out too much, do you?”Camila snorted. “Girl, you’ll be the talk of the night. Not because of blood–hopefully–but beca
MILACamila was not lying about the line of people waiting to get their clothes. Some had already pushed past the receptionist area, arguing loudly with the store attendants, some glaring at the empty racks, while others had their phones out, no doubt taking pictures.I looked down at my phones at the numerous calls I made to Tyler and Gabe. Of course, now they didn’t pick up their phone.“There she is!” someone yelled as all eyes fell on me the moment I stepped out from the back room. A swarm of disgruntled customers rush toward me. Zeke and Tom immediately intercepted the mob.“Let’s keep it civil here, folks,” Zeke stated, raising his hands like a traffic cop. “No need to turn this into a Black Friday stampede.”“Or a mosh pit,” Tom muttered.“Civil?” A woman’s voice rose above the chaos. “I pre-ordered one of Emilia’s signature cocktail dresses weeks ago, and was told it will be here today.”Another customer waved her phone in the air. “Same here! I have an event tonight, and I’m